Is it Feasible to Build your Own Private VoIP Cloud Network?

VoIP is well on its way to becoming the standard for voice communication in the foreseeable future. Organizations are in various stages of VoIP deployment – some are planning to upgrade, others are waiting on external factors to change before doing so. Quite a few companies have moved beyond the initial stages and are even implementing unified communication tools on top of VoIP.

There is a lot of information and media coverage on VoIP services, technology and industry itself. Nonetheless many people are still confused about the various options available, partly because there are so many. Do you want to purchase hosted VoIP services or install your own SIP deployment? Should you get a service that works for you today or one that can grow with you tomorrow? What kind of service plan should you go for or what features are most important for your company? Some organizations make mistakes when choosing the provider and have to switch later on.

VoIP Cloud Networks

The cloud is making its way through many industries. It is all pervasive and supports many of the functions consumers take for granted everyday. We can make calls, bank, play games, shop and collaborate on documents through services hosted in the cloud and delivered online. Hosted VoIP services are growing at a fast rate and competition is intense in the sector. Your VoIP network can be posted on the public cloud or deployed on your very own private infrastructure. Although public cloud networks are popular, some companies are pondering the benefits of building their own private cloud network. What does this mean and is it feasible?

What Are Public Cloud VoIP Systems?

Don’t let the name confuse or mislead you. Public cloud systems are nothing but the hosted VoIP services available on the market. In this type of service, you are one of many customers sharing the public cloud infrastructure of the network or service provider. The entire system is managed by someone else for you and that includes security as well. You don’t have to invest much in setting it up, apart from purchasing a monthly plan and the appropriate phone hardware (SIP desk phones, headsets, mobile devices etc.).

Since you don’t own any of the actual infrastructure, you don’t have to worry about maintenance or repairs. The service provider will issue updates for the software and take care of replacing old/worn-out equipment. If you want new features for your employees, it is simply a matter of changing your subscription plan or turning on a few settings. You don’t have to worry about expanding capacity either. You can pay more at any time for extra numbers, lines or any other resources. You can also downsize as necessary to avoid paying for resources you’re no longer using.

What Are Private Cloud VoIP Systems?

As you might guess, a private cloud delivery system is one where you own the underlying infrastructure, including the hosting center. It is your own private cloud and you don’t have to share with anyone else. There is no monthly subscription regardless of the number of users because you own the cloud. However you do have to pay for SIP trunks that connect your various sites.

There are significant benefits with private cloud telephony systems. You control what is going on within the system and when/how to upgrade. You’re in charge of maintenance, repairs and managing updates. You have lower monthly operating costs because you don’t have to pay anyone for managing the service. Over the long-term, the total cost of ownership is also significantly less than paying for hosted services.

Since you own everything end-to-end, you might be better able to manage integrations with other enterprises. You’re not restricted by what is available from the service provider. Sometimes a private cloud is the only option for organizations that have to comply with privacy or security requirements for legislative purposes.

However not everyone can build their own private VoIP Cloud networks and it is not always feasible even in those cases. For one thing you will need to have an in house IT department with the required expertise to manage the system for you. Private cloud systems also require upfront investment and take time to implement. You lose the benefits of scale since the entire cloud exists just for you.

With hosted service providers expanding their capabilities, there is very little reason for organizations to waste valuable resources on VoIP. Do you want to manage your own phone systems when your employees could be working on core business functions instead? Most companies are content to purchase public cloud services from the experts but building your own private cloud is certainly feasible under the right conditions.